Palmer reveals wages too low

Chris Palmer today lifted the lid on his controversial exit for Walsall and claimed the terms offered were so low he 'couldn't afford' to accept them.

The 25-year-old made a shock switch to Gillingham on Monday after initially agreeing to stay with the Saddlers – just 24 hours before Sofiene Zaaboub also quit the Banks's Stadium.

The versatile wideman insists he had to look after his family, eight-month-old daughter Maia-Ebony and fiancée Nikki, and would have signed until the Gills offered more money and a two-year contract at the weekend.

"I knew I wasn't getting a good deal – I wouldn't have been able to do anything with the money they offered me – I couldn't afford to sign it but I just had no other offers," said Palmer, understood to be one of the Saddlers' lowest earners. "All I wanted was to be appreciated.

"I've got a family and a baby to support, I wasn't happy but I had nothing else. I needed more security but at least I had something on the plate for me.

"If Walsall offered a bit more security I would have stayed."

Palmer, who made 44 appearances last season, also criticised the way the club handles transfer and contract negotiations.

He said: "I feel if they are after players with others then other clubs will go that extra step. Walsall seem to accept players will wait and then have to sign for them. They wait too long to make a decision.

"It's like with Jabo (Ibehre) last year. I felt he should have been offered a new deal earlier because he was fantastic for us. But he did well and other clubs got interested so he made a decision to leave before the end of the season and then it was too late."

But Palmer is adamant he moved for the right reasons and is hopeful Hutchings will return his calls and bury the hatchet.

He said: "I can't blame the manager, he was on my side, and I enjoyed working with him and (ex-boss) Jimmy Mullen. The fans have been brilliant to me, I don't want to fall out with anyone and be bitter. I hope they respect my decision."

Hutchings, revealed his disappointment, added: "He has gone now and we have to move on."